Hello, I may have a baby goat kid that I have to bottle can anyone tell me if I can use lamb milk replacer or do I need special milk?I have never raised a goat before. Thanks Nancy ----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info> Sent: Friday, March 02, 2007 6:32 PM Subject: blackbelly Digest, Vol 3, Issue 33
> Send blackbelly mailing list submissions to > blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://lists.blackbellysheep.info/listinfo.cgi/blackbelly-blackbellysheep.info > > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > You can reach the person managing the list at > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of blackbelly digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. today's update on starved sheep (Carol J. Elkins) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Fri, 02 Mar 2007 09:10:01 -0700 > From: "Carol J. Elkins" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: [blackbelly] today's update on starved sheep > To: blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info > Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed > > Here is an update I received today from Cindy Stamer, sister to one > of the two vets who were called in to help treat the Craig County > blackbellies that were found starving. If you can help, this would be > a good thing to do. There are contact numbers at the end of the > article, and you can call the Kelley family (the folks who are caring > for the sheep) at 918-244-5888, or write them at 26644 South 4360 > Road, Vinita, OK 74301. There also is a good article at > http://www.tulsaworld.com/NewsStory.asp?ID=070225_Ne_A1_Anima30146 > > ______________________________________________ > > The following is a rough update based on notes from discussions I had > recently with folks in Vinita. I understand the Oklahoma Supreme > Court is scheduled to hear the appeal later this month. By then, I > am told the county expects that it will have been required to expend > more than $100,000 to care for and maintain the neglected animals, as > the court ordered the county would keep the animals in its custody, > but refused to enforce the provision of the new Oklahoma animal > cruelty law that would have required Mr. Bell to post bond to cover > the costs of maintaining the animals pending the appeal as a > condition of his appeal. See the following: > > Craig County, Oklahoma officials need donations to pay costs of > caring for 1250 Barbado sheep, 300 cows and 12 horses seized by the > Craig County Sheriff's Department in connection with the largest > criminal animal abuse investigation in U.S. history. Craig County > Sheriff Jimmy Sooter says there is no money in the county's budget to > pay the more than $50,000 of expenses the county has incurred for > care of the animals since his department seized the animals last > month, or additional costs that will be required to maintain them > while the Oklahoma courts decide the animals' fate. > > "Our biggest problem right now is money. There is no money budgeted > for a situation like this. We are in need of donations for food and > grain and hay to feed these animals," says Sooter. > > Craig County officials seized the animals between January 17 and > January 23 after sheriff deputies found the animals among 800 other > dead or dying sheep on four separate properties of owner David > Bradley Bell. Bell and his wife Tanya, presently are facing multiple > animal neglect and cruelty charges, according to Craig County > Assistant District Attorney Jim Ely. Deputies discovered hundreds of > dead, dying and starving animals while investigating reports of > neglected animals on Bell properties. Craig County Sheriff Deputy > Robin Livingston says graphic pictures posted on the websites of the > U.S. Humane Society at > http://multimedia.hsus.org/images/oklahoma-cruelty.html and at > www.tulsaworld.com/deadsheep provide only a limited glimpse into the > horrible conditions sheriff department deputies found. Livingston > said they could see clearly see hundreds of dead and dying animals as > they drove onto the property. Deputies discovered stacks of dead and > dying sheep strewn across the pastures, on a porch, stacked on top of > each other in feed troughs and in a barn. "It looked like a > battlefield. There were dead animals everywhere," she said. Human > society officials and local veterinarians called in to help > investigate the case and care for the animals say that although cold > may have hastened the death of many of these animals, but that the > advanced decomposition of many of the carcasses establishes that > neglect and abuse as the primary cause. According to Livingston, it > was immediately apparent to sheriff deputies that the animals that > weren't already dead needed help. "As we got out of the vehicles, > sheep surrounded us and began nibbling on our fingertips. These > animals don't usually seek out people. Sheep also huddled around the > exhaust pipe of my unit to drink the condensation. They needed any > water they could get," she explained. > > The deputies' inspection of the property revealed even more gruesome > sights. "We observed dogs eating baby lambs being birthed from dying > mothers too weak to stand as they were being born," said > Livingston. "Dead animals were laying down and the other animals > just kept laying on top of them. We removed the animals because they > were so many dead bodies, the others just kept dying." > > County officials quickly reacted to rescue and get care for the > remaining animals. The massive number of animals and their > compromised condition presents significant challenges, according to > Dr. John Marcotte, a prominent Vinita-based veterinarian > specializing in the treatment of horses and other > livestock. Marcotte and his associate veterinarian, Justin Roscoe, > have treated the ailing animals since Craig County officials asked > them to help assess and treat them on January 13th. > > "Most of these animals are not ready to just be turned out into the > field to tend to themselves," Marcotte said. "Most of the animals > remain sick and underweight, but are recovering with the care they > receive in the county's custody." According to Roscoe, an additional > 108 animals died after the Sheriff Department stepped in. "We just > couldn't save all of them," he said. > > The survivors include fifty-eight ewe lambs that must be hand fed by > bottle because their mothers are dead or too week to care for their > young. Many of the mature animals require hand watering, hand > feeding and other regular one-on-one care daily. Lack of water and > food left most of the animals so weakened that many were unable to > walk at the time of their rescue. All of the animals were found > severely emaciated and dehydrated. Most also suffer from pneumonia > or other diseases. > Several have broken legs. "While these animals are recovering, they > aren't out of the woods yet. > They'll continue to require careful tending and supervision to > complete their recovery," Marcotte said. "It takes a lot of people, > time and money to get the food, water and other care essential to > continue and maintain their recovery. If they don't get proper care, > they can still die." > > The large number of the animals and their fragile condition creates > big financial and logistical challenge for the county and others > helping care for the animals. Even with the help of many community > volunteers, the county doesn't know where it will find the funds to > pay the $2000-$2500 per day feed bill, more than $13,000 veterinary > bill, wages for the 10-12 ranch hands hired to handle the animals, > and other expenses of caring for the animals. The costs would be > even higher, if not for the outpouring of help volunteered by members > of the community, Sooter and Livingston said. > > Since the Sheriff took the animals into custody, a local business man > and rancher, Lonnie Kelley has allowed the county to keep the animals > on a section of his land without rent. Kelley and his five children, > along with other volunteers from the community also pitch in daily to > help feed and water the animals. Volunteers from the Human Society > also have helped. The county also has received a $5000 from the > Oklahoma Human Society officials and various other smaller donations > from others trying to help the county cover the > costs. Unfortunately, Sheriff Sooter reports that the amounts > donated will only cover a very small fraction of the costs. > > "Our community has pitched in to help where they can," said > Livingston. "Neighbors and businesses are trying to help but are > strapped themselves. We need some help." Already facing a tight > budget with no monies available to meet these unanticipated expenses, > Craig County officials had hoped a judge would enter an order > terminating Bell's ownership of the animals at a February 7th > hearing. Craig County Assistant District Prosecutor Jim Ely said > county prosecutors had filed an action asking the Craig County court > to order Bell either to forfeit ownership of the animals or post a > bond to cover their care pending further court proceedings under a > new Oklahoma animal cruelty law that took effect November 1, > 2006. Had the court granted this request, Ely says the county could > have begun selling the animals to cover costs. During Wednesday's > hearing, Bell refused to either forfeit the animals or post a bond to > pay for their continuing care pending further court > proceedings. Acting through his attorney, Jaq Hartley, Bell instead > asked the court to order county officials to return the animals to > him, arguing the county seizure was not legal under the new > law. Following Wednesday's hearing, Craig County officials found > themselves saddled with the continuing mission of caring for nearly > 2000 animals with no money to fund the cause. Craig County Judge > ruled that the animals will remain in the custody of the Craig County > Sheriff Department until the Oklahoma Supreme Court rules on the > proper interpretation of the new law, but refused to order Bell to > post a bond or otherwise make arrangements to pay for the animal's > care. As a result, the county must continue to care for the animals > with no source of funding until the courts resolve the matter. The > Oklahoma Supreme is schedule to hear arguments on the case March > 13th. District Attorney Ely says that if the Oklahoma Supreme Court > upholds his office's interpretation of the new law as requiring Bell > to either forfeit ownership or post a bond to cover the costs for > their care, his office will be "ready to go." By then, however, the > county expects that its animal care expenses will exceed $120, > 000. Meanwhile, Ely says the investigation continues and the > District Attorney's office is continuing to pursue its criminal > prosecution. The county also is moving forward to make arrangements > for the proper disposal of the more than 800 dead animals, most of > which remain on the Bell properties. > > "It's a tragedy," said Marcotte. "Animals aren't like a truck that > you can just stick in a box and park in a closet for months until the > wheels of justice finish turning. They have to be fed and cared for > and someone has to do the work and pay the money to get that > done. The new law is supposed to empower law enforcement to act > quickly to secure the resources to provide for the care of animals in > need. It's a tragedy that that the law has to be tested for the > first time when the need and expense is so great." > > > > Contacts: > > John Marcotte, D.V.M. > President > Marcotte Veterinary Service > 30588 S 4400 Rd Vinita, OK > Mobile 918-244-5646 Office (918) 256-2479 Pager 877 641 3730 > Graduate, University of Missouri Veterinary School > > Justin Roscoe, D.V.M > Associate Veterinarian > Marcotte Veterinary Service > 30588 S 4400 Rd Vinita, OK > Mobile 918 2445645 Pager 877 641 3735 > Graduate, University of Oklahoma Veterinary School > > > Jim Ely > Craig County Deputy District Attorney > Office 918-256-3320 Mobile 918-261-5018 > > Jimmie Sooter > Craig County Sheriff > 918.256.6466 > > Cynthia Anderson > Human Society > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > ------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > This daily digest is from the blackbelly mailing list. > Visit this list's home page at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info/ > > > End of blackbelly Digest, Vol 3, Issue 33 > ***************************************** > _______________________________________________ This message is from the blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
